Water Safety
by Habit
Summary: Gaara's 'impenetrable defense' has one weakness...water. When Sakura is asked to teach the Kazekage to swim, she points this out. A challenge is issued...can Sakura get him into the water, and make him like it? Or will trouble find them unprepared... MA!


**A/N: This is a request fic for Tenshi no Shiine...hope you feel better girl! **as always, i own nothing but the plot****

* * *

Sakura just stared at the blonde girl in front of her. She couldn't believe what the girl had just asked her. Never in her seventeen years of living would she have thought that someone would come to her with such a request. "You want me to what?" she asked, her emerald eyes wide with shock. The girl across from her had a pleading look on her face.

"Please, Sakura-chan! You're the only one that can make him do anything, much less this!" Sakura stared at the girl again and tried to make sense of what her blonde Suna friend was requesting of her.

"Let me get this straight…you came all the way to Konoha to ask me to teach Gaara to swim?" Sakura noticed the pained look in Temari's eyes.

"Sakura-chan, you don't understand! Water is Gaara's only weakness. If he were to land in water when his chakra is drained, he has no way of getting back out! He relies on his sand to get him out of things like that! You remember when those rogue nins took Matsuri! The water immobilized him! And without Shukaku, he's more vulnerable than ever!" Sakura knew that Temari had a point. But it wasn't just a matter of teaching Gaara to swim…it was getting him anywhere near water in the first place.

"Temari-chan…you know I don't mind teaching him to swim. The problem is deeper than that and you know it!" Sakura saw the desperate look in the blonde's eyes and sighed. "Alright, I'll try. But if he tries even once to kill me, I'm out of there." Temari nodded and grabbed Sakura up in a hug.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you Sakura-chan!" Sakura laughed at her friend's enthusiasm…until a deep voice questioned their actions.

"What are you two up to now?" Sakura and Temari froze and looked over their shoulders at the one person neither of them really wanted to see at that precise moment…Sabaku no Gaara, Kazekage of Suna.

"N-nothing, Gaara." Temari said nervously. Sakura looked at her blonde friend and arched a brow before rolling her eyes and releasing the other girl. She turned to Gaara with teasing eyes.

"We were just talking about a beach trip we've decided to take. Just a couple of girls on the beach, sun bathing. Nothing guys like you would be interested in." she knew the dig would peak his interest…or prick his pride. From the look on his face, it was the latter.

"Guys like me, huh?" he asked in an imperialistic tone. She smirked inwardly at the haughty look on his face and the shocked look on Temari's. She shrugged and turned away from him.

"Yeah, you know, guys who can't swim or are afraid of the water for various reasons. Oh, but you have a legitimate reason for hating water…your sand is useless against it. Nothing you can do about that, I guess. I don't even think training in water would help any." She heard a growl and looked over her shoulder to see he had his hands clenched in the sleeves of his deep maroon shirt. His black trousers showed through the slits in the long trench coat style overshirt as he took a step towards her.

"Is that a challenge, Haruno?" he asked in a growling voice. Sakura smirked, this time letting him see it. She noticed his face go blank once more, as if he was contemplating what he'd just gotten himself into.

"A challenge? I guess you could call it that. I'm betting that without Shukaku to maintain that constant sand barrier and the limitless chakra he gave you, you're quite vulnerable now." She taunted him and noticed his nostrils flare. She turned back to Temari, who was staring at her in shock.

"So, Temari-chan, meet me at seven tomorrow to head to the beach?" Temari nodded, dumbfounded as she looked over at her youngest brother, who appeared to be inwardly seething. Sakura then turned sparkling emerald eyes to Gaara, a challenge of her own there. She noticed him perk up and watch her intently. "See you around…Kazekage-sama." She disappeared right after she said that. She knew he hated to be called that by her and all the people their age.

She smirked and ran towards her house. She knew she'd probably bitten off more than she could chew, but teasing him was just too fun. Since he'd lost Shukaku he'd become much more stable, mentally and emotionally. He still had moments when he'd snap and go on a rampage, but it wasn't on a mass scale and he usually only did that in battle.

As she walked through the front door of her house, she noticed that she was not the only on inside it. With a sigh, she walked to her kitchen and found one source of constant annoyance to her standing there, regarding her. "What are you doing in my house, Yukio?" she asked as she walked straight past him and to her refrigerator. She noticed he smirked at her and stood up straight. Ever since she'd taken up a genin team, this guy had been hanging around, making inappropriate comments in front of her students.

"What, can't I come and say hi to my girl?" Sakura froze for a second before turning on him with an arched brow.

"Last I checked I live alone. There's nothing of yours in this house. Perhaps you stopped at the wrong house?" she turned away from him again and grabbed a water bottle from her fridge. She heard him grind his teeth and she looked up at him again to see him glaring at her.

"Stop playing games, Sakura. We both know that you're only playing hard to get. I can only be patient with this type of game for so long…" Sakura arched a brow in surprise. He thought this was a game? She shook her head and walked over to him, her eyes hard.

"This isn't a game, Yukio. I have never shown interest in you, not since you started following me around when I got my first genin team. I'm not playing hard to get…I don't even like you." She said bluntly and then walked away from him. "You know the way out." She said and then walked to her bedroom. She started packing her training bag for tomorrow. No doubt Gaara would respond to her challenge by fighting her.

She heard a growl and turned to see Yukio glaring at her. "You don't seem to understand the situation, Sakura. I don't care if you like me or not. You are my woman and I will take you willingly or by force." He growled and stalked towards her. She arched a brow at him and prayed that he wouldn't hurt himself trying to prove something.

"Yukio, just leave before you get yourself hurt." She shook her head and shoved a towel and dry clothes into her pack. She felt him grab her arm in a bruising grip and she stilled immediately. She was whirled around and pinned to her bed by the black haired youth.

She stared up at him dispassionately as he tried to force her compliance. He tried to force her legs open so he could lie between them and got kneed in the groin for his troubles. He tried to keep her pinned, but he got a black eye. And when he tried to kiss her, he pulled back with a bloody lip. He glared down at her, his body in much worse shape than when he'd broken in.

She just gave him a look and shook her head. "I told you to leave before you got hurt." She then walked up to him and punched him, sending him through the window and out of her house. She went to the window and looked out, leaning against the now empty window frame. People from down the street looked on as she shook her head. Two jonin appeared to investigate what was going on. Sakura pointed to the now unconscious Yukio.

"He broke into my house again. Tell shishou not to be too hard on him. He's got an unhealthy obsession he needs to work out." She then turned and went back into her house. She went to the spare room and picked up a window and went back into her bedroom and went about installing it. This, unfortunately, was a common occurrence.

* * *

Sakura stretched and yawned as she waited by the gate. She'd called Hinata, Ino, and Tenten, and all three girls had agreed to go. Now, she was waiting for them to arrive. She noticed that Shikamaru was walking with Temari down the street. Temari was smiling shyly at him and he was trying to act unaffected. Sakura smirked and shook her head.

She jumped slightly when Ino jumped on her back and turned to find both the blonde and Kiba, Akamaru at their feet with his tail wagging. Sakura arched a brow and Ino blushed. Sakura could see the blonde's bikini strings under her normal clothes and figured Ino was trying to hit it off with Kiba…like Sakura had told her she should. Sakura smirked and shook her head. Tenten walked up alone, much to Sakura's disappointment. She was hoping Neji would have caught wind and been a little curious. The last to arrive was Hinata, who was being dragged behind the overenthusiastic Naruto.

Sakura groaned and rolled her eyes; figures that the hyperactive blonde would have found out about the beach outing and asked to come along. Sakura also knew that Hinata would never tell the loud mouth ninja no. When they were all at the gate, Sakura smiled and told them they were heading out. Sakura watched her friends run out and was suddenly aware of someone behind her. She looked over her shoulder and noticed Gaara staring down at her, his body closer to hers than was appropriate. Then again, he probably had no concept of modesty, having practically been raised by a demon.

Instead of making a big deal out of it, she arched her brow at him. He said nothing, just looked up and took note of the people going. Sakura decided to give one more dig. "See, guys like you don't go to the beach. Notice that Neji decided to stay home as well. Perhaps the two of you can get better acquainted. He's afraid of the water too." She giggled and then jumped up into a tree, taking off out of the village to catch up with her friends. She looked behind her and noticed he was gritting his teeth. What she didn't expect to see was a scowling Hyuuga Neji.

* * *

Sakura was lying on her beach towel, trying to get a tan, while the others were playing volleyball…ninja style. She heard someone yell about the ball and then she felt sand all over her. She growled and turned over, but what she saw made her gape. Standing in front of her, in full ninja gear, was Gaara. He had his arms crossed over his chest and he was glaring down at her. She smirked at him and laid back on her stomach.

"Good of you to join us, Kazekage-sama." She heard him growl and smirked into her arm. She then felt him plop down beside her. Just to tease him, she rolled over onto her side and looked at him. She noticed how his eyes roamed her figure and couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever seen a girl outside of their ninja uniform. A blush came to her face at the thought and she stifled it. With a sigh, she laid back on her stomach.

It was time to bait the trap. She'd already cornered him by getting him here, near water. Now she needed to give him a reason to get _into_ the water. Reaching back, she pulled the strings to her bikini top and let them flutter down so that her back was void of strings. She then opened one eye and looked at Gaara. "Would you mind rubbing lotion onto my back so that I won't burn? Tan lines are awful." She said in a smirking voice, even though her smirk was hidden.

She noticed his eyes widen and then go back to normal, but his nostrils flared and she knew she had him. He took the lotion from her and slowly rubbed it into her back. She groaned as he massaged it into her muscles. Who'd have thought he was so good at this? A thought struck her then…was he a virgin? Had he ever learned to masturbate? She turned redder and buried her face in her arms. She felt his hands curl around her sides and lightly brush the exposed sides of her breasts. She bit her lip to keep from gasping.

When he was done, she felt his hands pull away and it was all she could do not to follow them up. She laid there for a while until she heard a familiar voice. "N-neji?!" Sakura looked up to see a very red Tenten in her small bikini staring at the Hyuuga boy. For his part, Neji looked like he was about to pass out as his eyes wandered the weapon mistress's near naked form.

She also noticed that most of the others had broken off into pairs. Temari and Shikamaru were walking along the beach, their fingers touching lightly. Ino was curled up on a towel with Kiba and Akamaru, taking a nap. Naruto was trying to talk Neji and Tenten into playing chicken in the deeper part of the water with him and Hinata…and it seemed to be working. This was her chance to get Gaara into the water. She had, after all, promised Temari that she would teach the young Kazekage how to swim.

As people slowly dispersed and left the two of them alone, Sakura sighed and sat up, her top held over her chest. She gave Gaara an innocent look. "Can you tie the strings on my suit? It's getting hot and I want to cool off in the water." She noticed his eyes narrow, but he reached for the strings and slowly tied them for her. She smiled at him and inwardly thanked Tsunade for the lessons in seduction. Apparently, Gaara didn't even realize he was being seduced.

With a giggle, she jumped up and headed for the water. She knew that, having no experience in tying a girl's swimsuit, the strings would come undone in the water. She counted on it. With a laugh she plunged into the surf and, sure enough, the top came off. She made a yelp just loud enough for him to hear and waited for him to look up. When he did, she noticed his eyes widen and his face turn redder than she'd ever seen him.

She looked down at herself and her eyes widened in mock surprise. She wrapped her arms around her naked chest and looked at him, blushing for real. It was one thing to plan this out; it was another to actually allow him to gawk at her like that. She turned her back on him and started looking for her top. She didn't see it anywhere and was glad she'd worn one of the suits she was outgrowing instead of her good one. This suit was just a tad too small for her, just barely covering the essentials.

She looked up covertly and noticed that Gaara was standing and slowly, almost unconsciously, making his way to her. She noticed his eyes widen and his face go pale suddenly and she looked back to see a smirking shinobi with a breathing unit strapped to his face. She gasped and jumped away from him, but he grabbed her and she went under the water with another yelp. She noticed the man staring at her bare chest and she covered herself up with her arms once more.

She came to the surface with a gasp and noticed that Gaara was no longer on the beach. She looked around for him, but there was no sign. Suddenly, she felt a jerk and she was taken under again. She decided to get over her embarrassment and put chakra into her fist and sent a punch at the shinobi that had a hold of her ankle. Her punch was slowed due to the water and the shinobi dodged it easily. She kicked his arm and he released her with a grunt. She swam to the surface and took a deep breath.

She noticed that the beach was no longer in view and she panicked. Suddenly, she was dragged under again and she glared at the man who was leering at her. She was shocked when giant arms suddenly reached into the water and picked her and the shinobi up. She was lifted and started falling through the substance until she felt two warm arms around her. She looked up into the blazing eyes of Suna's Kazekage. He was glaring at the man that had pulled her under, nearly drowning her.

The man smirked evilly and then just burst into water. Gaara's eyes widened for a second before he jumped up higher into the air, Sakura in his arms. Sakura noticed that he was slower than usual and realized that with all the water in his sand armor, he was weighted down. They managed to make it back to the shallows, but their friends were nowhere in sight. Gaara landed in the water and suddenly his sand armor just…fell off.

Under the sand, she noticed how pale he really was…how ethereal. He was beautiful in a masculine way. However, her amazement didn't last long as she felt the water shinobi reach for her. She felt the claws on his hands tear into her hip and she hissed and kicked him. However, her bikini bottom ripped on that side, as well as a bit of flesh. She covered it and healed it immediately, not wanting blood in the water that would attract dangerous predators.

Sakura made her hand into a flat palm and waved it at the enemy, green energy flying off her hand like a blade. Both men were surprised when a deep cut appeared in the water shinobi's shoulder. Blood seeped into the water, making a big, almost black pool. The pool got bigger and bigger and Sakura gasped as she realized it wasn't blood, but something worse. She grabbed Gaara and they made their way to shore. They had just made it to dry land when the enemy shinobi screamed. All they saw was one hand, tumultuous water, and then red.

Sakura was shivering as she held tightly onto Gaara. They were both wet and gritty from the sand, but the warmth of their combined body heat kept them from feeling the cold air. Sakura lifted and looked down at the man who had saved her…a man she knew was weak against water. She smiled at him and leaned down carefully. She noticed his eyes widen right before her lips touched his. When she felt his smooth, cool lips against her, she closed her eyes and moaned.

She felt him hesitantly put his hand on her hip and she smiled into the kiss. However, as they started shifting, the sand became rather uncomfortable on their wet bodies. Without even thinking, Sakura stripped the wet clothes from Gaara's body. They were too engrossed in their kiss to really think past each other. Lifting her, he headed down to the water's edge. He went in just enough to wash the sand off their bodies, but when he would have taken them back out to the beach, she whispered to him.

"We'll just get sandy again. Let's stay in the shallows…" he nodded and took her to the shallow water and sat on a low lying rock. Sakura found herself straddling him and his heat against her core in the salty ocean water was both strange and erotic. She rubbed against him and moaned. She looked at him and noticed the bright blush on his pale features.

She didn't even get time for foreplay as he gripped her hips and brought her down over his painfully erect manhood. She gasped as he broken through her barrier easily and without much pain. She'd heard from Ino that a girl's first time was usually really painful but…she stopped thinking when she felt him pulling her to him while he was thrusting up into her. She heard his heavy breathing, felt his hot breath against her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on for dear life.

She was blushing and gasping as he thrust into her. She felt him pick her up and then they were falling. She gasped and shook water from her eyes, only to find him on top of her. She felt wet sand against her back and realized they were now in just the surf. She could hear him gasping and moaning as he drove into her frantically, his hips slamming against hers aggressively. She gasped when she felt him pull her closer and wrap her legs around him.

Again, she couldn't help but wonder if he was a virgin or not. He wasn't acting like a virgin. Then again, she only had herself to go off of, since she knew that most of her girlfriends were no longer virgins and she didn't have the courage to ask her guy friends. She gasped and arched against him as he gave a really aggressive thrust. She cried out in amazement as she felt warmth spread through her. It was like a fire that started in her stomach and suddenly took over her entire body.

She could feel her muscles tensing and then she was shaking uncontrollably. She couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't speak…all she could do was feel. And then she came crashing down from that high, only to hear the man above her growling. She looked at him and noticed his eyes were rolling up into the back of his head, his eyelids were fluttering, and his muscles were shaking. She stared in awe as she felt the warmth inside her taper off and she realized that it was him…he'd created that warmth in her.

She blushed as she stared up at him. When he opened his eyes again, they were tired…more tired than she'd ever seen. She gasped as he suddenly collapsed on top of her, his head against her breasts. She gave a tired laugh and looked down at him. His eyes were closed, but his breathing was still heavy, meaning he hadn't fallen asleep yet.

"See…what happens…when…you go into…the water?" she purred as she stroked his head, out of breath but very happy. She felt him nuzzle her breast and she smiled. Suddenly, his deep voice met her ears, though his eyes never opened.

"I think I might come to enjoy this water thing." He whispered before wrapping his arms around her and burrowing closer to her warmth. She could still feel him inside her and the fact that he wanted to stay just like this, with her, in the shallows of a beach they had no knowledge of made her feel very special to him.

* * *

Sakura was walking down the street with groceries in her arms when she heard a voice call her name. She turned and noticed that, despite being put on probation and given a warning to stay away from her, Yukio was making a beeline for her. She sighed and shook her head…she didn't have time for this. Turning away from him, she made her way to her house. She could hear him running to catch up to her.

She had just reached her house and opened the door when Yukio caught up to her. "Sakura, I told you to hold on!" the young man demanded and reached out to grab her. He was shocked when sand spikes erupted from her skin and kept him from touching her. He looked up as a growl rumbled from inside Sakura's house.

Yukio's eyes widened as he noticed the Kazekage standing in Sakura's front door. "Beat it." Gaara growled, still glaring at the young man. Yukio looked at Sakura and then at the Kazekage and his face scrunched.

"What the hell Sakura?!" he glared first at Sakura and then at Gaara, who just gave him a cold look back. Sakura sighed and shook her head.

"Yukio, meet my fiancé, Gaara. He's the Kazekage of Suna." Sakura noticed Yukio's shocked look and he looked down at Sakura.

"F-fiancé? Since when?" Yukio demanded and glared outright at Gaara. Sakura shook her head and walked into her house. Yukio tried to follow, but Gaara blocked the way.

"That is information you do not need." Gaara growled and shut the door in Yukio's face. Gaara then turned and walked over to Sakura, who had started making them dinner. He purred as he walked over to her and nuzzled her shoulder. She smiled at him and leaned back against him.

"You know, you could have just told him we've been engaged for two months now. It's not like it's some big secret." She said quietly. She felt him run his hands over her hips and rub against her. She smiled gently and giggled.

"It's none of his damn business." Gaara growled and then nuzzled his beautiful fiancé once more. She shook her head and kept cooking.

"Well, one thing has had me curious for a while now." Sakura said as she turned and looked up at the man she'd be marrying in three months. He arched a brow at her and she smirked.

"That day you came after me and made love to me for the first time on the beach…" he arched a brow and a smirk came to his face. He only ever allowed her to see him like this and she relished it.

"Yes?" he purred and pressed more tightly against her. She could feel his need and she shivered slightly.

"You handled me like you knew what you were doing. Were you a virgin when you made love to me?" she noticed his sly smirk and then he leaned down and brushed her ear with his lips.

"Yes…I was a virgin." He then licked the shell of ear and she shivered again. He then leaned back and looked down at her. "At least my body was. I'd been fantasizing for years what I'd do to you if ever given the chance." Her eyes widened and she turned bright red at his blunt confession. She stared in shock and then laughed and threw her arms around him.

"And here I thought you were a blushing virgin with no concept of personal interaction. I don't know why Temari asked me to teach you to swim…I'm pretty sure anyone could have taught you." She laughed and shook her head. She noticed his arched brow then.

"What?" she asked, unsure if she'd offended him or not. He reached out and tugged on her hair.

"I know how to swim." He said and noticed Sakura turn bright red. He thought perhaps she was embarrassed, but then a fang dropped down over her upper lip. As Gaara tried to control his enraged fiancé, he swore he could hear laughter coming from the Nara residence…and it sounded a lot like his sisters.


End file.
